Centric-draft underframing for cars.



N0. "6,063. Patented D60, l6, I902.

W. G. LANGENHEIM. CENTBIB'DRAFT UNDEBFRAMING FOR CABS.

(Application filed Feb; 15, 1902.

4 Sheets-Sheet l.

Wlcwi GwZiaZ No. 7|6,os3. Patented Dec. 16, I902.

w. e. LANGENIIEIM. v

v CENTBIG DRAFT UNDERFBAMWG FOB CABS.

(Application filed Feb. 15, 1902.)

(no mum.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 7l6,063. Patented Dec. l6, I902. W. G. LANGENHEIM.

CENTBIG DRAFT UNDE RFRAMING FOR BARS.

' (Application filed Feb. 15, 1902.) (No Model.)

4 Sheets-S bset 3.

No. 7l6,063. Patented Dec. l6, l902.' W. G. LANGENHEIM'. CENTRIG DRAFTUNDE RFBAMING FDR CABS.

(Application flied. Feb. 15, 1902.)

4Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

WILLIAM GUSTAV LANGENHEIM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT ANDM'ESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ROBERT W. HUN'I & 00., OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A FIRM.

CENTRlC-DRAFT UNDERFRAMING FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 716,063, dated December16, 1902.

1 Application filed February 15, 1902. Serial No. 94,300. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM GUSTAV LAN- GENHEIM, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Centric- Draft Underframing forCars, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionreiates to steel railroad-cars, and particularly totank-cars, the primary object of my.invention being to provide a car oflarger capacity than has been used heretofore and which shall be lighterthan others in proportionto its load capacity.

A particular object of my invention is to improve the underframing ofsteel cars, in-

cluding the means of attaching the couplers.

Another object of my invention is to improve the construction oftank-cars and adapt and provide an all-steel car for conveying liquids.

My invention consists generally in a carunderframing comprising twolongitudinal girders for the support of the load, said girders beingconne cted by a plurality of transverse girders or saddles and havingcoupler attachments at their ends.

My invention further consists ina car-underframing comprising,suitably-connected longitudinal sills or girders in combination with adraft plate or girder provided at each end of the underframing and shortsills extending therefrom adapted to hold the couplers, said platestransmitting the coupler stresses to the underframin g.

My invention further consists in suitablyconnected metal girders withhorizontal draftplates secured to the bottoms of said girders andconnecting the same, said plates carrying the truck-centers and servingas coupler attachments, and, f urther, my invention consists in variousdetails of construction and in combination of parts, all as hereinafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference toth'eaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of atank-car embodying my invention, a portion thereof being in verticalsection. view of the underframing of the car, partly in horizontalsection. Fig. 3 is an end view of the underframing. Fig. 4 is anisometric view of the underframing. Fig. 5 is an enlarged transversesection on the line a; a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detailed isometric Viewof the end of the underframing with the coupler attachment. Fig. 7 is across-section of .a fiat-car embodying my invention, and Fig.

8 is a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 2 is a plan My novel underframing is characterized anddistinguished from 'cars'of ordinary construction in two importantparticulars, to wit: first, the simplicity and light weight of theunderframing, the same being composed of but two girders instead of foursills, commonly employed, said girders being rigidly connected by partsextending between them and widely enough separated to safely carry aload that is subjected to tilting forces, and, second, by draftattachments which occupy planes that incliide the axes of the couplersand are fastened under the end flanges of the girders, whereby thecoupler stresses are transmitted in a straight axial line from coupler-to coupler, so that the underframing is relieved from detrimentalvertical angular stresses.

It is well known in engineering that the strength of a steel structuredepends largely upon the disposition or distribution of material and notwholly upon the mass or weight of same. I find that the quantity orweight of material required to support a given load increases anddecreases in proportion to the directness or concentric application ofthe load upon the material. This theory leads to the conclusion that agiven load will be supported by a minimum quantity of-steel in a singlegirder connecting. theitruck-centers of a car; but inasmuch as the caris subjected to tilting forces it is necessary that the underframingshall be Wide enough totallow for side bearings upon the trucksandsustain its load on two distinct lines distant from the center line andbetween which lines the load, such as a tank, will be safely sustainedand held withoutneed of uprights or side braces. That which is trueregarding the support of the load by an assemblage of parts as closelyas practicable to the center line is also true as to the weight andstrength of material required to sustain the coupler shocks and stressesand transmit the same from end to end of the car.

My car in its preferred construction takes the form illustrated in thedrawings.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be noted that thelongitudinally-disposed material of the underframing is concentrated intwo widely-separated girders 2 2 of the full length of the car and of across-section suitable to the maximum load to be carried. These girdersare at once the draft-sills and the carrying-girders of the car and arerigidly connected at intervals by transverse girders or saddles 3 3 andby the draft-plates 4 4, provided at opposite ends of the girders andwhereon the girders may be said to rest. All parts are firmly rivetedtogether, making an exceptionally rigid frame. The draft-plates areapplied to the under sides or flanges of the girders 2 2 and are rivetedto the bottoms of the end saddles 3. Beneath the end saddles and on theinsides of the draft-plates or horizontal girders 4 4 I provide thetruck-centers 5. It will be noted that the plates 4 4 closely approachthe truck-bolsters 6 and that the girders 2 2 preferably lie just withinor just outside of the truck-wheels, only sufficient space being allowedfor the swing of the trucks. The girders are firmly tied together andstiffened by the transverse girders or saddles 3; but the frame ismainly dependent upon the large rectangular plates 4 for rigidity. Theinner ends of the plates 4 are preferably stiffened by angles 8, as wellas by the foot-flanges or angles of the end saddles or girders 8. Theextreme ends of the girders are connected by the plates or angles a onthe top thereof and by the plates 10 between the ends of the girders andsomewhat below the lower flanges thereof. The height of the couplersabove the rails is fixed by rule, and this construction of theunderframing affords a draft-plate 4 at the exact required height, thesame being in a place that includes the normalaxes of the coupler. Thisbeing the case, it is possible to arrange the coupler frame orattachment above and below the plate 4, midway thereof.

The coupler attachment or frame comprises the four short angle bars orsills 11, oppositely arranged and having their inner ends riveted to theplates 4. The forward ends of the short draft-sills are connected byWide channelplates 12 13, completing the frame for the coupler, and theforward ends are supported by the cross plate or channel 10.

14 14 are the stops for the coupler, which are embraced by thecoupler-strap 15, which incloses the buffer-springs 16. It will be notedparticularly that the plates 4 include the projected axes of thecouplers and that thesel plates are practically continued in theunderflanges of the girders 2 and constitute a very light and strongconnection from end to end of the car, the coupler-strains beingtransmitted by the plates 4 to the girders, and vice versa.

When the underframing is for the support of the tank 16, the saddles 3are provided with concave upper flanges or surfaces 17, which conform tothe bottom of the tank and which preferably rise slightly'above thesurfaces of the girders 2 (see Fig. 5) in order that the tank shall notrest upon the sharp edges of the girders. The tank 16 is of sufficientwidth to rest firmly upon the frame; but I prefer to secure the sameadditionally by a number of strips 17, extending around the tank andattached to the bottoms of the girders 2. (See Fig. 5.) The tank 16 isnearly as long as the girders and after being placed thereon is blockedby the timbers 18 between the ends of the tank and the end plates 9 ofthe frame, these blocks taking the shock of the tank, if any. Ifdesired, lugs may be provided upon the tops of the girders and thebottom of the tank to prevent endwise movement of the tank. In aflat-car saddles with straight tops are used, same being then flush withthe tops of the girders 2 2. As shown in Fig. 7, nailing-strips 19 aresecured on the girders 2, and the car-floor (not shown) is then nailedon the strips 19 and projects a considerable distance on each side ofthe girders 2. If desired, a low cross-saddle 3 may be provided abovethe coupler-space at each end of the frame, as shown in figure.

It is obvious that the advantages of the horizontal draft-plate 4towit,lightness and simplicity of construction and connection to thegirdersmay be secured in a vertical girder extending longitudinally ofthe frame and whereto the coupler-sills 11 would be similarlyattached,with their stops occupying horizontal instead of verticalpositions. It is also obvious that built-up girders and girders ofdifferent cross-sections may be employed in place of those illustrated,and it is further obvious that numerous modifications of my inventionwill readily suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, and I do notconfine my invention to the specific construction herein shown anddescribed.

Having thus described claim as new and desire to Patent 1. Thecentric-draft underframing for cars consisting of the two combined draftand carmy invention, I secure by Letters 'rying girders rigidlyconnected and having upon their under sides draft-plates whereto thecouplers are centrically attached, substantially as described.

2. The car-underframing consisting of two parallel vertical girdersrigidly connected by transverse saddles in combination with thecentric-draft plates or girders whereon said vertical girdersrest andare secured, substantially as described.

two longitudinal vertical girders, in combination with a plurality oftransverse connectinggirders arranged between the longitudinal girdersand below the tops thereof and truckcenters and draft attachments at theends of said longitudinal girders, thecenters or axes of saidattachments being substantially in the plane of the bottoms of saidgirders, substantially as described.

5. The carunderframing comprising the. longitudinal girders connected bytransverse girders, in combination with the draft-plates secured to thebottoms of the longitudinal girders, the truck-centers thereon and thecoupler attachments extending from said plates, substantially asdescribed.

6. The underframing for cars consisting of the two widely-separatedgirders joined by transverse saddles 3 and the truck-center plateswhereon said girders rest, the short draft-sills extending from saidplates, having suitable stops, and being concentric with "said plates,substantially as described.

7. The coupler attachment comprising the horizontal plate or girder 4c,in combination with the short auxiliary draft-sills extending therefromand adapted to hold the coupler vertically midway of said plate and saidplate being attached to the car-underframing, substantially asdescribed.

8. The car-underframing comprising the parallel girders 2,the transversegirders 3 connecting the parallel girders 2 and the straight draft-plate4whereon said girders rest and are attached, in combination with theshort draftsills 11 having coupler-stops and attached to said plates 4,said girders 2 serving as both draft-sillsand carrying-sills. and thecoupler loads and stresses being transferred thereto by said plates 4,substantially as described.

9. The coupler attachment comprising the horizontal draft plate orgirder 4, in combination with the draft-sills 11 secured to the top andbottom of said plate 4 and holding the coupler with its axis in theplane of said plate 4, substantially as described.

10. The tank-car underframing comprising the two widely-separatedvertical girders joined by a plurality of structural-shaped transversegirders, or saddles, the tank to the bottom of which said saddlesconform and whereonthe tank rests, the horizontal girders 4: and thecoupler attachments secured theretobetween the ends of the longitudinalgirders, substantially as described.

11. The tank-car comprising the tank, the

underframing of less width than the tank, but

longerthan the same and comprising the two girders 2 connected bytank-supporting saddies, the tank-blocks upon said girders, the

horizontal draft-plates secured to the bottoms of said girders and thecentric-draft attachments secured to said plates between the ends of thegirders 2, substantially as described.

12. The combination with the coupler,of the draft-sills therefor and thedraft-plate girder or web whereto said sills are attached and said plateoccupying a plane that includes the pro jected axis of the coupler,substantially as described.

13. The underframing for cars consisting of the two combined draft andcarrying I-beams or girders rigidly connected by transverse saddles andhaving upon their under sides and at their opposite ends draft-plateswhich serve as truck-center and coupler attachments,sub stantially asdescribed.

14C. The underfrarning for cars consisting of the two combined draft andcarrying I-beams or girders, a plurality of transverse girders rigidlyconnecting the two I-beams and having flanged upper edges conforming tothe arc of a circle, the tank-holding means arranged at the ends of saiddraft and carrying beams, the draft-plates secured to the under sides ofsaid I-beams at the ends thereof and 7 each also secured to one of saidtransverse girders and the coupler attachments secured to saiddraft-plates between the ends of said draft and carrying beams,substantially as described.

15. The underframing for cars comprising the parallel girders havingtheir lower flanges in a horizontal plane, the horizontal draftplatesjoining the lower flanges of said beams at the ends thereof,'thetruck-centers upon the under sides of said horizontal plates and thetransverse saddles extending between said beams and across said platesand secured to said beams and plates, substantially as described.

16. The underframing for cars comprising the parallel girders havingtheir lower flanges in a horizontal plane, the horizontal draftplatesjoining the lower flanges of said beams at the ends thereof, thetruck-centers upon the under sides of said horizontal plates, thetransverse saddles extending between said beams and across said platesand secured to said beams and plates and the coupler attachments eachcomprising a plurality of short draft-sills having their inner endsattached to said horizontal plates and havingtheir outer ends suitablysupported between the ends of said girders, substantially as described.

17. The combination with the trucks of the horizontal draft-plates ofgreater width than said trucks, the truck-centers interposed betweensaid trucks and draft-plates, the two draft and carrying sills arrangedin parallel vertical planes and separated by a greater distance than thewidth of said trucks and a plurality of transverse beams or saddlesexsills, substantially as described.

18. The combination with the trucks of the horizontal draft-plates ofgreater width than said trucks, the truck-centers interposed betweensaid trucks and draft-plates, the two draft and carrying sills arrangedin parallel vertical planes and separated by a greater distance than thewidth of said trucks and a plurality of transverse saddles extendingfrom sill to sill and connecting the same, said sadd'les having convexedor recessed tops and the ends of said saddles rising above the tops ofsaid sills, substantially as described.

19. The coupler attachments comprising the horizontal draft plate orgirder 4 for attachment to the car-underframing and to rest upon atruck-center, in combination with four short draft-sills having theirinner ends attached respectively to the upper and under sides of saidplate 4, the vertical stops 14 connecting the upper and lowerdraft-sills in each WILLIA M GUSTAV LANGENHEIM.

In presence of J. W. BEOKSTROM, H. G. BARRETT.

